The youth had not answered her letter; neither had he called upon her in response to the invitation she had regretted, with the rest of the epistle, as being somewhat too warmly informal for black and white.  To speak tenderly to him was one thing, to write another--that was her feeling immediately after the event; but his counter-move of silence and avoidance, though probably the result of pure unconsciousness on his part, completely dispersed such self-considerations now.  Her eyes never fell upon the Rings-Hill column without a solicitous wonder arising as to what he was doing.  A true woman, she would assume the remotest possibility to be the most likely contingency, if the possibility had the recommendation of being tragical; and she now feared that something was wrong with Swithin St. Cleeve.  Yet there was not the least doubt that he had become so immersed in the business of the new telescope as to forget everything else.

On Sunday, between the services, she walked to Little Welland, chiefly for the sake of giving a run to a house-dog, a large St. Bernard, of whom she was fond.  The distance was but short; and she returned along a narrow lane, divided from the river by a hedge, through whose leafless twigs the ripples flashed silver lights into her eyes.  Here she discovered Swithin, leaning over a gate, his eyes bent upon the stream.

The dog first attracted his attention; then he heard her, and turned round.  She had never seen him looking so despondent.

'You have never called, though I invited you,' said Lady Constantine.

'My great telescope won't work!' he replied lugubriously.

'I am sorry for that.  So it has made you quite forget me?'

'Ah, yes; you wrote me a very kind letter, which I ought to have answered.  Well, I _did_ forget, Lady Constantine.  My new telescope won't work, and I don't know what to do about it at all!'

'Can I assist you any further?'

'No, I fear not.  Besides, you have assisted me already.'

'What would really help you out of all your difficulties?  Something would, surely?'

He shook his head.

 Prev. P 36/230 next